I run a 23' Proline Walkaround with dual batteries. If I replace my batteries, is it best to have 1 starting battery and 1 deep cycle or 1 starting and 1 dual purpose battery? Also, what is the proper use of the battery switch. Assuming position 1 is my starting battery and position 2 is my deep cycle, do I start in position 1 and switch to "BOTH" when the boat is running? Or do I start in the morning in the "BOTH " position, run the boat and when I stop switch to "2" (deep cycle) if running electrical equipment? Can someone please clear this up? Thanks!
Batteries
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Proline
Never run on both....
Also I like to identical batteries connected so that one is redundant to the other, Not one for starting and one for backup.
A easy thing to try and do is to try and use Battery 1 on odd days and battery 2 on even days. If you are not sure just guess. As long as you alternate you will be OK. They will charge rather quickly as long as you are running.
Only time you should use both is in an emergency, and If both are needed to start the eng....
Never run on both....
Also I like to identical batteries connected so that one is redundant to the other, Not one for starting and one for backup.
A easy thing to try and do is to try and use Battery 1 on odd days and battery 2 on even days. If you are not sure just guess. As long as you alternate you will be OK. They will charge rather quickly as long as you are running.
Only time you should use both is in an emergency, and If both are needed to start the eng....
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4,148 Posts
Somewhere in these posts I wrote a book on this..
The reason why you don't want to have two batteries hooked together (in parallel) is because they may "compete". What compete means is they charge and discharge into eachother; over time, the voltage loss can kill bothe batteries. In a theoretical world, with two batteries of the exact some makeup, "competing" would never happen - in real life it does.
Wiring two batteries together in serial is 24V - bad news..
As far as the reason for having two; it's basicly for safety. Kill one battery and you have another. The use of a switch makes it so you can pick which one to run off of, saving the other. Some of us might run so much electrical garbage that the little outboard charging systems can't keep up - in that case you need to bring extra batteries along - like you do fuel.
I've got something a little more than 1 switch in my boat, but the way I use mine are like this: check to be sure bothe batteries are charged at the begining of the trip - pick one battery and use that for the day. The next trip I switch batteries. No matter what I won't kill bothe batteries this way.
As far as which battery/tyep. The easiest thing to do is go with a deep cycle + starting - they have enough balls to handle turning the engine over & provide high amps deep into the discharge. If you've got the $$ and want to go with something better, it wouldn't hurt, but I just hit auto-zone and bought what is about their top line marine deep cycle + starting. The cost is under $70 a piece. No problems & going on three seasons.
Jon
The reason why you don't want to have two batteries hooked together (in parallel) is because they may "compete". What compete means is they charge and discharge into eachother; over time, the voltage loss can kill bothe batteries. In a theoretical world, with two batteries of the exact some makeup, "competing" would never happen - in real life it does.
Wiring two batteries together in serial is 24V - bad news..
As far as the reason for having two; it's basicly for safety. Kill one battery and you have another. The use of a switch makes it so you can pick which one to run off of, saving the other. Some of us might run so much electrical garbage that the little outboard charging systems can't keep up - in that case you need to bring extra batteries along - like you do fuel.
I've got something a little more than 1 switch in my boat, but the way I use mine are like this: check to be sure bothe batteries are charged at the begining of the trip - pick one battery and use that for the day. The next trip I switch batteries. No matter what I won't kill bothe batteries this way.
As far as which battery/tyep. The easiest thing to do is go with a deep cycle + starting - they have enough balls to handle turning the engine over & provide high amps deep into the discharge. If you've got the $$ and want to go with something better, it wouldn't hurt, but I just hit auto-zone and bought what is about their top line marine deep cycle + starting. The cost is under $70 a piece. No problems & going on three seasons.
Jon
Battery Isolation
Guest manufacters a battery isolater that devides the charge between the batteries so they don't compete.If you do alot of night fishing where you employ alot of lights,electronics,livewell,etc. You can buy a true deepcycle battery like they use on electic trolling motors.
After you shut the engine you switch to this battery to run all your stuff.However this battery is not meant to crank over an engine.The advantage is it can be drawn down to almost completely dead ;repeatedly with no damage.A friend of mine uses one of these plus two cranking batteries. He employes the isolator and has had no problems in 10 years of using this type of setup. However the wiring is a bit complicated.
T.T.
Guest manufacters a battery isolater that devides the charge between the batteries so they don't compete.If you do alot of night fishing where you employ alot of lights,electronics,livewell,etc. You can buy a true deepcycle battery like they use on electic trolling motors.
After you shut the engine you switch to this battery to run all your stuff.However this battery is not meant to crank over an engine.The advantage is it can be drawn down to almost completely dead ;repeatedly with no damage.A friend of mine uses one of these plus two cranking batteries. He employes the isolator and has had no problems in 10 years of using this type of setup. However the wiring is a bit complicated.
T.T.
I have two batteries in my boat (isolated) I Like to run on both batteries going out so that both batteries are fully charged, then switch to 1 battery to run the electronics and s/w washdown. when done fishing, I start with the used battery and travel home! Don't ever switch batteries while the engine is running,
this can damage the altinator!
Hipshot
this can damage the altinator!
Hipshot
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1,134 Posts
4 batteries
i've got 4 on my boat,isolated from each other.on three switches. the way the're set up is one for port engine, and one for starbord engine. both cranking batteries ,and the other two deep cycle are for the acc. i leave them all on all the time without worrying because the acc. batteries will never drain the starting batteries and they get pluged in to a automatic charger every night at the dock
i guess the key is to make sure none of your electronics are drawing from the starting battery
i've got 4 on my boat,isolated from each other.on three switches. the way the're set up is one for port engine, and one for starbord engine. both cranking batteries ,and the other two deep cycle are for the acc. i leave them all on all the time without worrying because the acc. batteries will never drain the starting batteries and they get pluged in to a automatic charger every night at the dock
i guess the key is to make sure none of your electronics are drawing from the starting battery
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626 Posts
BATTERIES
When I ran my 23 Sea-Ox,I had a set up like yours.When heading for a day offshore,I would head out on #1,and switch to #2 half way out,so I got to the grounds with both charged.Both were deep cycle.Never run on both,if you develop a short,you have 2 dead batteries.
On my present boat ,a 29 Proline,with twin OBs,I have a deep cycle battery and one starting battery.When the starting battery goes,I will replace it with another deep cycle.
When heading offshore,I also carry a jumper pack,just in case.
Pete
(This post edited by fishologist II on 03/07/2003)
When I ran my 23 Sea-Ox,I had a set up like yours.When heading for a day offshore,I would head out on #1,and switch to #2 half way out,so I got to the grounds with both charged.Both were deep cycle.Never run on both,if you develop a short,you have 2 dead batteries.
On my present boat ,a 29 Proline,with twin OBs,I have a deep cycle battery and one starting battery.When the starting battery goes,I will replace it with another deep cycle.
When heading offshore,I also carry a jumper pack,just in case.
Pete
(This post edited by fishologist II on 03/07/2003)
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1,134 Posts
yeah always have jumper pack
there cheap enough and when you run into someone else who need a jump its alot esier
there cheap enough and when you run into someone else who need a jump its alot esier
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2,789 Posts
Battery Isolator
I have two batteries, two switches and an isolator. I did the install last season and have not had a problem. BOth batteries are always on line. I have one starting battery that does nothing but crank my single diesel engine. The deep cycle does nothing but power electronics and lights. The switches allow me to double them up or take one off line for any possible problems. I can leave my electronics on while I drift. Starting will not knock out the electronics since the batteries are isolated. I can leave lights on, drain the deep cycle, and not drain any power from the starting battery. It is not necessary to flip any switches for normal ops. Only for an emergency. The system so far has worked great.
I have two batteries, two switches and an isolator. I did the install last season and have not had a problem. BOth batteries are always on line. I have one starting battery that does nothing but crank my single diesel engine. The deep cycle does nothing but power electronics and lights. The switches allow me to double them up or take one off line for any possible problems. I can leave my electronics on while I drift. Starting will not knock out the electronics since the batteries are isolated. I can leave lights on, drain the deep cycle, and not drain any power from the starting battery. It is not necessary to flip any switches for normal ops. Only for an emergency. The system so far has worked great.
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2,789 Posts
Cost of isolator
The cost of the isolator was about $100. I did the install myself. I made other upgrades to my 20 year old boats electrical system as well. I will give you an idea of what I did, the cost, and how much time I spent.
The previous owner had installed a 90 amp altenator. Up from the original 50 amp. The wiring was undersized, so I replaced the altenator cables. I also ran new auxiliary wiring to my main fuse panel. Again, these wires were terribly undersized. I installed one new battery switch. I combined it with the exsisting. The new switch had a 1000 amp rating. I have a diesel and draw heavy current on start up. The original switch was rated at 500 amps, again, too small. The new switch also ran about $100. In selecting the wires, I went to the charts in the West Marine Catalog. I measured the total distance run, multiplied by two for both lengths, used the column for 3% voltage drop and added another factor for high temperature since the wires are in my engine compartment. As a result, I ran size 2 wires to my auxiliary panel and size 4 from my altenator. Those are almost battery cables themselves. The price was about $3.50 per foot. I spent a few bucks on wire to tell you the truth, but, I think it is worth it. Add in the connections, heat shrink tubbing and a few other things, I spent about $400, and about two days of my time. You don't have to go as far as I did. I now have two swithches. One for the starting battery and one for the auxiliary battery. Normal ops are to keep the systems seperate. In an emergency, I can use the starting battery to power auxiliaries, use the auxiliary to start, or put both batteries on line together. Both systems can also be kept completely seperate.
The logic behind this is to use the starting battery for only the short burts of power needed at startup. The deepcycle will only be used for starting in an emergency. Normally it just powers electronics and auxiliarys. I can start my engine with the electronics powered up and not hit them with a low voltage spike. I can drain the deepcycle and the starting battery will remain untouched. The batteries will last longer when they are only used for thier designed purpose. Using both batteries all the time is fine as long as the systems remain isolated.
Feel free to ask anymore questions if you have them.
The cost of the isolator was about $100. I did the install myself. I made other upgrades to my 20 year old boats electrical system as well. I will give you an idea of what I did, the cost, and how much time I spent.
The previous owner had installed a 90 amp altenator. Up from the original 50 amp. The wiring was undersized, so I replaced the altenator cables. I also ran new auxiliary wiring to my main fuse panel. Again, these wires were terribly undersized. I installed one new battery switch. I combined it with the exsisting. The new switch had a 1000 amp rating. I have a diesel and draw heavy current on start up. The original switch was rated at 500 amps, again, too small. The new switch also ran about $100. In selecting the wires, I went to the charts in the West Marine Catalog. I measured the total distance run, multiplied by two for both lengths, used the column for 3% voltage drop and added another factor for high temperature since the wires are in my engine compartment. As a result, I ran size 2 wires to my auxiliary panel and size 4 from my altenator. Those are almost battery cables themselves. The price was about $3.50 per foot. I spent a few bucks on wire to tell you the truth, but, I think it is worth it. Add in the connections, heat shrink tubbing and a few other things, I spent about $400, and about two days of my time. You don't have to go as far as I did. I now have two swithches. One for the starting battery and one for the auxiliary battery. Normal ops are to keep the systems seperate. In an emergency, I can use the starting battery to power auxiliaries, use the auxiliary to start, or put both batteries on line together. Both systems can also be kept completely seperate.
The logic behind this is to use the starting battery for only the short burts of power needed at startup. The deepcycle will only be used for starting in an emergency. Normally it just powers electronics and auxiliarys. I can start my engine with the electronics powered up and not hit them with a low voltage spike. I can drain the deepcycle and the starting battery will remain untouched. The batteries will last longer when they are only used for thier designed purpose. Using both batteries all the time is fine as long as the systems remain isolated.
Feel free to ask anymore questions if you have them.
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